Free Wild Hearts by Virginia Henley

castle yard. She ran out through the gate and down the grassy slope to meet them. The early sun was shining now; the dew was heavy and drenched her feet. Surely they should have reached the castle by now. She ran over the next hill and stopped dead at the sight that met her eyes. Paris and about six of his men had stripped off their clothes and stood thigh-deep, refreshing their bodies in the cool water. She had never seen a man naked before. The sight deeply shocked her. They were so huge. All of them over six feet, their muscles bulging and their chests and arms matted with hair. The ones with their backs to her displayed white buttocks, and the ones facing her... my God!
    Alexandria rode up and shouted, "Let's get out of here before they insist I join them."
    By the time she reached her chamber, Alexandria had changed out of her brother's clothes and was ready to explode with her adventure. "It was the most fun I've had, in my whole life!" Alexandria passionately exclaimed, her face alive with excitement.
    "Didn't Paris discover you?"
    "Men are so thick, you can deceive them right under their noses."
    "I almost died with worry about you. It was the longest night of my life:"
    "You must be mad!" stated Alexandria, not able to comprehend her friend's fear. "In Berwick we looted the most magnificent house. It belonged to Queen Elizabeth. Just wait until you see the bathtub Paris got for you. Fit for a queen!"
    "You're not telling me he's stolen a bathtub that belonged to the Queen?" asked Tabby incredulously.
    "Why not? She won't be needing it, she's been dead a year!'
    Alexandria was able to steal away for an afternoon of sleep before the evening's revelry. Her sisters were expecting some of their admirers tonight. Not so Tabby. Paris gave Alexander orders to give her another riding lesson. The instructions were explicit. Mount, once around the castle, dismount. Mount, once around the outside of the castle, dismount. To be repeated thirty times each.
    After the twenty-fifth round, Alex held up his hand. "After a dozen times, I thought you would be begging me to let you stop. After twenty, I thought you would be offering me blandishments that would make me swoon with desire. But what can I give you to stop now?" he Begged with mock fatigue.
    "Don't you dare to yawn. I, for one, know you weren't up all night." She looked at the handsome young man with the open, honest face. He made his feelings for her obvious. His heart was in his eyes every time he looked at her. Tabby decided she must risk telling him about her plans to escape, and hoped that he would help her. "Alexander, I have to be able to ride; it is my only hope of escape."
    "Why would you want to escape?" he asked, surprised.
    "Let me explain. I lived in an orphanage all my life. I only got through the terrible years by dreaming of the day someone would come and take me away. My husband married me out of that orphanage. I had nothing. He was the only person ever to do anything for me. Alexander, I owe him my life. Now he will be asked to pay a ransom of twenty thousand in gold. I cannot possibly sit back and allow your brother to do that to him."
    "When you put it that way, I can understand your principles perfectly. Have you explained to Paris how strongly you feel about this? I know I could refuse you nothing." He smiled. "Perhaps it would be the same with him, especially if you got him alone, away from the family.
    She smiled back. "When I talk with you, we reach an understanding. When I talk with Paris, sparks fly! In fact, the only time I'm not paralyzed with fear of him is when he taunts me until my anger flares."
    "He only does that for the sheer pleasure of looking at you, and simply because it is a way of getting you to respond to him."
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Whenever Paris needed advice, he turned to his father's brother Magnus, the powerful Earl of Ormistan. Magnus treated him like the son he had never had but always longed for. He had named Paris his